Dumping-car.



No. 682,206. Patned Sept. IU, i901. T. LAWSON.

DUMPING CAR.

(Application med Dec. -14, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WTNESSES' INVENTOH A TTOHNE Y wlw@ No. 682,206. Patented Sept. I0, IQUII.

T. LAWSON.

DUMPING CAR.

' (Application led Dec. 14, 1900.) (Nn Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

A 7TOHNE Y .IINrrEn STATES PATENT f `OEEinE.

THOMAS LAVSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DUNIPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,206, dated September 10, 1901.

Application filed December d4., 1900. Serial No.3918'73. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t 11116031/ concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS LAWSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dumping- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The improved'cars may be made of various lengths and with any required number of Wheels. I will describe the invention as applied to a relatively short dumping-car with four wheels.

The material to be transported and dumped, which I will for brevity term earth, is held in two movable bins or carriers of dimensions suitable for occupying each the breadth from the center line to one of the sides of the car. I provide for moving these outward either singly or simultaneously and for tilting each carrier suddenly after it has been moved into its extreme outboard position.

I provide the car with transverse rails and equip each carrier wi th a series of balls serving as antifriction devices, the balls in one portion of their course carrying the load imposed through the carrier and in the return portion of their course running light. I mount and properly guide and retain these series of balls on the under sides ot' the carriers and provide the car simply with transverse rails, allowing the balls to run thereon during the main part of the loaded portion of their respective courses. During most of the several movements the weight is carried on the balls. 4During the act of dumping it is slightly raised and supported on journals.

I have invented important improvements ip the mechanism for the storing and application of power. I employ nearly horizontal oscillating cylinders containing pistons operated by compressed air with facilities for etfecting the required bodily movements and the tilting of each carrier and for perfectly controlling and gently arresting each movement.

The following` is a description of what I consider the best means ot` carrying out the invention.

.The accompanying drawings form a part-ot` this specification.

Figure yl is an end view in elevation with one of the carriers in the position in which it is loaded and transported and the other, the left, in the act of being dumped. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion corresponding to Fig. 2, showing the recesses in the compressedair vessels in their relation to the bearingaxles. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section, on a larger scale, showing one of the carriers, that on the left side, in its inboard, and consequently horizontal, position. Fig. a is a section on the inclined line 4 4 in Fig.. l. Fig. 5 shows a portion, on a larger scale, corresponding to the right side in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the` line G 6 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion showing a modification.

The figures show the novel parts, with so much of the ordinary parts as is necessary to indicate their relation thereto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is the body of the car; A, the bearings of the axles; D, the axles, and Dthe wheels. There may be any ordinary or suitable provisions for elastic action by springs. (Not shown.)

B B are two equal carriers extending lengthwise of the car on each side .and capable of being moved outward bodily and arranged to also tilt when at the extreme outboard position. Each is supported on two transverse ways composed of narrow rails A2, stifly supported on the floor of the car-body A, on which run a series of balls O, carried in a casing or way B', extending transversely of the carrier and having curved ends B2 connecting this way with another nearly similar one, The carrier is supported on'the balls O, which rest on the rails A2 as they are moved outward or inward, the balls accommodating the motion and traveling through the curved portions B2 at each end and returning idlyin the channel B3. This returnchannel may completely inclose the balls; so may a portion of each of the curved parts B2. The portion B, in which the balls are effective at anygiven moment, is strong and equipped IOO to present a smooth continuous bearing on the upper side of its interior and has a longitudinal aperture b, extending its whole len-gth on the lower side, into which the rail A2 is received. Each carrier during the tirst part of its outward motion travels horizontally. Near theouter end of its traverse it is raised off the ball-bearings by means of inclines A3 and supported on journals B4, which are strongly attached to the ends of each carrier by brackets B5, which extend downward a little, as will presentlyappear. Thesejournals,withsmall antifriction-wheels carried thereon, are received in stout hooks A4, set on the body A. In this condition the carrier is free to tilt on the journals, and I so proportion the weight and so arrange the impelling force that it is certain to tilt when moved out actively, and thus slightly elevated by the inclines and arrested by the hook-bearings. After either carrier has been thus moved outward and tilted and has dumpe'd its load I apply the nearly horizontal force in the reverse direction. This first restores the carrier promptly to its horizontal position and then moves it bodily inward again down the slight incline and along its ball-bearing path to its original place, ready to receive in due course another load, and so on.

E represents self-acting dogs, one at each end, turning each on a pivot A5 and subject to a gentle spring E2, which when free raises it tothe position shown in Fig. 6. A cord E2, connected near the free end of each, runs under a guide-pulley E4 and extends to the end of the car subject to the action of the operator. When a carrier is drawn inward after each dumping action, its wheels E roll over the dogs E and depress them. So soon as the carrier has passed to its extreme inward position, bringing` the wheel E against the fixed chock A6, each dog E rises and holds the wheel, and consequently the carrier, against moving outward until the operator has again depressed the dogs. The two cords by which the two dogs are pulled down previous to the dumping action may both lead to the same point at the end of the car, and there may be provisions for belaying the cord, thus relieving the attendant :from holding it while he operates the dumping means.

I provide means for applying force to effect the movements of each carrier at each end simultaneously and equally, attaining this by oscillating cylinders and pistons. I have discovered that it is practicable to allow the required long range of motion and to apply the force so as to effect both the bodily and dumping movements with the required promptness and certainty, and also to effect a cushioning of the pistons, so'that the carrier will be arrested gently and withoutshock ateach end of the motion. Iattain these ends with economy of space by mounting the operating-cylinders under the carriers and providing connections which are recessed by the aid of means, which we may term boXes, provided in the base and inner side of the carrier.

G G, &c., are the oscillating cylinders, ar'- ranged in pairs and connected each to operate one end 0f the opposite carrier. All four may be substantially alike and a description of one will suffice for all.

W is a piston, and W a piston-rod engaged by a T-shaped end W2, with bearings carefully located and protected in the opposite carrier.

Each cylinder G turns on hollow trunuions G G2, strongly supported on the 4car and equipped with proper stuffing-boxes E F2. The trunnion G connects with the outer end of the cylinder adjacent to the trunnion. H h is a three-way cock, which in one position, that shown in Fig. 4, connects this trunnion by means of the passage H with the pipe K, which is kept supplied with compressed air, andin the opposite position allows compressed air previously in the outer end of the cylinder to escape through the pipe H2 into the atmosphere. The other .trunnion G2 is longer' and connects through a passage GS with the inner end of the cylinder G. This controls the pressure on the opposite (the inner) face of the piston. This passage cast in the exterior of the cylinder' connects through the three-way cock I t', in one position of such cock, with the interior of the cylinder, and thus'communicates through the trunnion G2 with the same compressed-air supply K. In another position of this cock I t the compressed air in the inner end of the cylinder G will be allowed to exhaust through the passage G3, the trunnion G2, and the three-way cock I Il into the atmosphere. The cocks H z and It' are connected by a rod M and the levers H3 I2, so that the attendant by moving the rod M will operate both cocks. In the mid-position of the cocks the compressed air will be excluded entirely from each end. This is the' TOO IIO

ordinary condition of rest. Vhen the rod M lalready received to act expansively. As it nears the end of its outward movement, the air `before it-that in the inner end of the cylinderbeing cushioned serves as a means of rapidly and gently arresting the outward movement, so that the journals B4 are re,- ceived in the hooks Al without injurious concussion. I arrange the journals as low as is practicable and set the inclines and hooks correspondingly low in order that the tilting motion of the carrier in eifecting the dump-` IIS ' ceases 1ng will project the carrier well outboard. At any time after the dumping, which will under ordinary conditions be immediately, the operator must shift the rod M to the other extreme of its motion, the right in Fig. 4. This will allow the compressed air to escape through H 7L and to flow from the pipe K inward through the trunnion G2, passage G3, and cock I e', entering the inner end of the cylinder G, and pressing on the inner face of the piston W :repeats the same operation in the opposite direction. In this inward movement the carrier is light and will be first restored to its horizontal position and then drawn inward. The cutting off of the compressed air may be effected earlier in this inward movement. The cushioning to arrest this inward movement may be reinforced, if necessary, by a momentary shifting of the rod M and its connections to admit compressed air in front of the' piston. On the other hand, if the cushioning should arrest the inward motion too early the inward iinpelling force may be similarly reinforced by shifting the rod M briefiy to the right.

I attach importance to the driving of the carriel` outward with rapidity and decision at sufficient velocity to insure that the journals B4 shall travel up the inclines A3 and be arrested gently in the hooks A4 without any chance of failure. At this stage the carrier is loaded and is in its extreme outboard position; but the case is different with regard to the inward motion, the carrier being then light and near its central position on the car.

I supply a loose-fitting ring E on each of the journals B4, which turns and serves as an antifriction bearing-wheel when the carrier is supported thereby on the inclines A3.

The air-supply in the pipe K is maintained from a pump on the locomotive. (Not shown.) The pump may be the same which is ordinarily used for operating a brake system. connects through a pipe L anda cheek-valve L' with a connected series of strong vessels L2, extending longitudinally of the car and properly recessed at the points L2, so that they do not touch the axles D. (See Fig. 2a.) The pipes K connect at convenient points with the capacious reservoir of compressed air provided by this series of vessels K2 on the same car.

I provide for operating the rods M simultaneously and equally for both cylinders on one side, and doing this from a convenient position at the end of the car.

P"is a sufficiently strong cord branched and attached to the respective pivots M at the larly branched and connected to the pivots M and leading around a guide-pulley N2 and thence to thc Same end of thecar.

The operator, seizing the two handles in his two hands, can by pulling on either cord P or P2 and relaxing the tension on the other operate the valves from the end of the car. There may be a similar provision for operating from the other end of the car, if desired.

It will be understood that there are tight cocks on the pipes L and provisions for connecting and disconnecting the cars, so that diderent cars may be coupled to each other and to the locomotive, as may be required or preferred in different cases.

l have shown the end of the piston-rod as equipped with a T-head forged thereon, which rocks in two brackets strongly set on each side of the recess in the base of the carrier, which allows the piston-rod to play.

l employ binders secured by bolts, as usual.

The device may have any ordinary or suitable provisions for oiling.

BG is the removable box, and B7 designates the screws which confine it. To get access to the pivot, the fastenings B7 and box B6 are removed, and then the binder and its fastenings may be treated in the ordinary manner.

There have been many efforts to utilize compressed air in operating the mechanism of dumping-cars. Mine is superior to any known to mein acting directly to not only dump the carriers, but also to move them bodily outward and inward. My invention also allows either side to be dumped separately, as is required under some conditions, as in dumping from a temporary track along one edge of a previously-filled area of ground. The construction stores great quantities of compressed air on `each car in close connection with the cylinders and allows the power available for compressing the air to be utilized for long periods continuously at a moderate rate instead of violently at long.,r intervals or of providing an extraordinary and inconvenient air-reservoir on the locomotive, as would be otherwise necessary. It will be seen that the storage of compressed air in such connected cylinders L may serve for a dumping motion ora return motion, or both, after the car has by momentum or other force been allowed to separate entirely from the locomotive.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

I can provide a separate engine and boiler on one of the cars to operate the pump for compressing air instead of utilizing the power of the locomotive.

Parts of the invention can be used without others.

Two pairs of cylinders, one near each end of the car, are essential if the car and the carriers are long; but when short one pair of cylinders located at the mid-length of the car may serve well.

I can employ other means than the series of bali-bearings to allow the easy movement ioo I-I O of the loaded carrier outward and the subsequent return in the light condition along the level way. The inclines A lifting the carrier slightly as it approaches the termination of its outward movement takes it off the balls previous to the tilting motion and continues to hold the journals until the carrier has been drawn back to its horizontal position and moved a little inward. This is of advantage; but I can operate with some success by omitting these inclines and making the hooks and corresponding portions level, not lifting the carrier so as to be of much effect. Fig. 7 shows such modification.

I use the term inclines in this paper to mean the portions of the hook-supports adjacent to the hooks which receive the weight of the carrier and its load through the rings or small wheels E and journals B4, the portions which carry the load in the act of transmission from being supported on the ballbearings to being supported in the hooks.

The hook form of the bearing for the tilting is limportant in resisting the tendency 4which may be experienced from the gravity of the tilted load or from a too powerful to throw the journals out beyond their proper bearings.

l consider it a portion of the invention if only one carrier should be used. In such case the carrier can be made somewhat wider; but in other respects the mechanism may be the same as one-half of this shown.

Two of the continuous series of ball-bearings, one at each end, are necessary. A third, at the mid-length, lcan be used, if preferred, when the car is very long. It is not necessary to represent such third series. It may be identical in every respect with one of those shown.

l claim as my inventionl. In a dumpingcar,having two continuous series of ball-bearings to provide easy movements of loads transversely of the car, a carrier adapted to run thereon from inboard to outboard positions and return, two inclines and hooks at the outboard end of the traverse, journals on said carrier arranged to be received in such hooks and allow the carrier to be tilted to dump a nearly horizontal cylinder v carrying a piston and connections arranged f series of ball-bearings to provide easy movements of loads transversely of the car, two carriers adapted to run thereon from inboard to outboard positions and return, two inclines and hooks at theoutboard end ofthe traverse on each side, two journals on each carrier ar- 3. In a dumping-car, havingtwo continuous series of ball-bearings to provide easy movements of loads transversely of the car, a carrier adapted to run thereon from inboard to outboard positions and return, two inclines and hooks at'the outboard end of the traverse, journals on said carrier arranged to be received in such hooks and allow the carrier to be tilted to dump a nearly horizontal cylinder carrying a piston and 'connections arranged to give both the horizontal traversing and tilting motions, and means controllable at will for applying compressed air to act on such piston in opposite directions to induce the movements to traverse horizontally and dump and return, such means comprising operative cocks H and I, one for each end of each cylinder, the levers H3 and 13 and the rod M connecting them and means for operating the rod from the end of the car so as to not only effect the admission of thecornpressed air to drive the carrier in either direction but also to effect the cutting off of the impelling-air and the cushioning of the air in advance of the piston by simple movements, all substantially as herein specified.

l. ln a du mping-car,havin g two continuous series of ball-bearings to provide easy movements of loads transversely of the car, a carrier adapted to run thereon from inboard to outboard positions and return, two inclines and hooks atthe outboard end of the traverse, journals on said carriers arranged to be received in such hooks and allow the carrier to be tilted to dump a nearly horizontal cylinder carrying a piston and connections arranged to give both the horizontal traversing and tilting motions, and means controllable at will for applying compressed air to act on such piston in opposite directions to induce the'movements to traverse horizontally and dump and return, the removable box B6 in such carrier allowing the pin B4 to be set high and the application of the force in inclined directions and also allowing easy access to such pin, all substantially as herein specified.

5. In a dumping-car,having a carrier adapt- IOO IOS

IIO

ed to run easily from inboard to outboard positions and return, two inclines and hooks at the outboard end of the traverse, journals on said carrier arranged to be received in such hooks and allow the carrier to be tilted to dump, a nearly horizontal cylinder carrying a piston and connections arranged to give both* the horizontal taversing and the tilting In testimony that I claim the invention motions, means controllable at will for applyabove set forth I aflix my signature in presing compressed air to act on such piston in ence of two Witnesses.

opposite directions to induce the movements, THOMAS LAWSON. 5 and the strong and light reservoir L2 for stor- Witnesses:

ing compressed air on the car, all combined JAMES JOLLIFFE,

substantially as herein speciiied. G. DIMMER. 

